Snow Fall

Snow Fall was a very immersive experience, and three elements stood out to me: the shape of the story, the visual experience, and the use of audio.

First, the story did not just trace the avalanche--it tracked the people and told their stories. The author gave each person a voice and made each of their experiences of the avalanche unique. There was not one story to be told, so the author wove them all together. Further, the story is not strictly linear, but it is framed around a chronological event. That is, the first scene comes from the near the end of the story, and during many successive scenes, the author does not hesitate to go back in time to add some backstory.

The visuals define the experience, to me. Describing terrain is always difficult, but the author embedded interactive maps that gave the reader a sense of direction. He also included short, clickable slideshows of all of the main characters (which, for some reason, would not work for me...). Along with the dramatic, snowy shots that often served as the background for the text, the visuals really enhanced the reading experience.

Finally, the author wove in audio either through video or short recordings. Since he relied so heavily on peoples' stories, this was a crucial element in making them feel real. The 911 calls in particular made me feel like I was on the mountain with them. Combining these three elements made the story stand out.